The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-12-27

WITHIN q few weeks past a survey
ing party Of forty men. including
twenty-five engineers. sailed from
New York for the site Of the proposed
Nicaragua ship canal. The party,
which is in charge of Lieutenant
Peary of the United States engineer
ing corps, Is fully equipped for active
work, and its outfit comprises seven
teen strong but tight steel canoes
twenty-three feet in length, to be
used for carrying the baggage and
provisions of the surveying party up
streams and across Lake Nicaragua.
A California paper Is foolish enough
to preface a history of the Nicaragua
project with the remark, Now that the
Panama scheme Is doomed to certain
failure etc Latest accounts indi-
cate that ships viii be passed through
the Panama canal before work can
fairly begin on the Nicaragua route.
However, a few facts about the latter
viii be of general interest, since a
fresh survey Is on foot The extracts
below are from the 4Ita California:
The route from Greytozn, BY way of the
San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua, 70
BEIto, on the Pacific ocean. which will be
selected, whatever minor modification may
be made II the final location. has been twice
surveyed under the auspices OF the United
States government
Ihs distance from ocean 70 ocean by The
proposed route Is 1868 miles, bat OHly 4g.3
miles are actual canal, the other 1873 miles
beng free navigation through Lake Mica
ragua- tie san Juan river. and the valley OF
tHs bio San Francisco The surface Of the
lake, Ito feet above tie sea, EIil be the sum
NIT lETei OF the canal. PROM the mouth Of
the River LsJss, where the canal leaves the
lake on the vest. 10 BrItO. the Pacific term
mus. = l7-ZT miles and Oh this portion. where
the inclination i about twelve feet 10 the
mile. four locks afe proposed, from twenty
81 20 tEentT-nine feet lift On the east side
Of the lake the waller OF the San Juan river IS
20 BE- backed up and kept at The level Of the
AXE for distance OF sIxfy-fOur miles By
means OF dam at OcbOs. Just bsloE the con
n1eucs Of the river San Carlos. This extern
SION o. the lake will nave minimum width
Of LOO feet, and depth Of from . 10 80
feet.
me lake itself Is about ninety miles long
b forty vide. and very deep, 50 that ;his
stretch OF l25-5 miles will be aaT1gabls At
IziI Tafs OF speed, and b means Of lights. at
night a. veil As b. day. The Test Of the dis
tzness 1885 miles. IS by the valley OF the san
Francisco creek, the waters Of which are %
b eOnnned by an embankment Tie rest Of
the distance Is rock cutting and dredging,
With oue OF more locks, a. the final surveys
nay determine. From the last lock 70 GreF-
tom on the east, and 70 BrIfo On the Pa
claes tie canal i enlarged, forming extern
Sons Of thOse naEbOrs, where vessels can
pass eaeh other without detention The
canal L 70 Be eighty feet vide at the bottom
II deep e1ttings- and 10 feet IN the terminal
e1ts and other enlarged sections. The locks
sE5 sstIEazt5d 80 seef long and s1Ify-ffve feet
VIE Inc estimated time Of transit from
- - SEA Is thirty nO0Es. Brsskzsters and
dredging ali b. required AZ tie uorfs II
Grsyto@n and Brito 70 secure fgee en-
trance
Ihs estimated cost Of the canal uoOs the
foregoing roufs and plan Z sbrsst "a CO.,
10, eee2Eding 70 the figures u Civil II
gIEaer AenoesL L. s. y, In flis oficisI r
porf 70 the Secretary Of tie g..vg Of tie r.
lOessi9n and survey II I5s5. The estirastes
Meade the siectric lighting II the canal The
lighting ana b0oying Of fbs AXE and tie
l@r1otsr and railroad from toe lake 70 tie
E1e'Ae, AID from Gfsytozn 70 the dam AZ